


The Promise

by GothicPrincessWitch



Series: Fenhawke Tumblr Drabbles [10]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst and Feels, M/M, Post-Break Up, Purple Hawke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 11:32:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15118508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicPrincessWitch/pseuds/GothicPrincessWitch
Summary: Hawke is faced with a choice: let the Qunari take Isabela or duel the Arishok in single combat. It isn't much of a choice at all, really, so long as he can survive the duel, and Fenris makes him promise to survive.





	The Promise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Tevinter_Biscuit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Tevinter_Biscuit/gifts).



> A kiss prompt for The-Tevinter-Biscuit: "a kiss as a promise."

It’s no secret that Garrett Hawke has long wanted the Arishok dead.  
  
For years the two have clashed, and to say that the Arishok has grated on Hawke’s nerves with his self-righteous, judgmental speeches would be the understatement of the Age. But now Hawke finally has his chance to turn the Arishok’s face into a pincushion full of arrows, provided he bests him in single combat.  
  
A duel between them would be, well, far easier said than done. The Arishok is huge and powerful, and Hawke isn’t foolish enough to underestimate his skill as a warrior. If he lands a hit on Hawke with either that giant battle axe or that giant sword, he’ll utterly crush Hawke. Hawke’s leather armor won’t be enough to withstand the force of such a blow; he won’t survive.  
  
And then everything will be over. The city will be lost. Isabela will be taken away to whatever tortures the Qunari have devised for her. And everyone else, the rest of his friends, all the nobles gathered in the throne room, all the people of Kirkwall good and ill alike… Everyone else will be slaughtered or whatever else Qunari do to their prisoners.  
  
The thought of Fenris being forced into a new kind of slavery makes Hawke’s blood boil. He can’t let that happen. He can’t fail. He must find a way to win this duel.  
  
Hawke is smaller and nowhere near as strong as the Arishok, but Hawke is fast and cunning and clever. Provided he can constantly maintain enough distance between them to shoot his bow, then he has a chance to survive — or at the very least to stall long enough until Knight-Commander Meredith and the Templars can storm the Keep. It’s the best strategy he can come up with on the spot, at least.  
  
He agrees aloud to the duel and then turns to Fenris. Whatever witty remark he’d planned to say to his former lover disappears at the sight of Fenris watching him with such intensity — those lovely green eyes burning into him, cutting through all his layers of armor, both literal and figurative, straight to Hawke’s heart, which despite everything still beats only for Fenris.  
  
Hawke knows without either of them saying it that Fenris must be in anguish, having to stand on the sidelines and be unable to do anything to protect Hawke. They’re both the type of besotted fools who would do anything to protect the other, after all…  
  
“Think I’ve got a shot at winning?” says Hawke in a feigned nonchalant manner.   
  
“Of course,” Fenris answers him seriously. “I have every faith in you.”  
  
Hawke forgets to a breathe for a moment, overwhelmed by how much Fenris cares about him, by how much Fenris believes in him, and by how very very much he loves Fenris.  
  
Fenris reaches out to him, and gauntleted fingers carefully, gently pull Hawke’s face down to his, their lips meeting in an affectionate kiss. Neither of them hold back as they pour all their feelings for each other, still burning brightly as ever despite not being together, into this kiss. If Hawke is going to lose this duel, then at least he has this one last moment with the love of his life.   
  
“That’s a promise, Garrett,” Fenris whispers against his lips. “I promise you’ll make it through this. You’re the only one who can.”  
  
Hawke doesn’t want to pull away. He wants to stay right here with Fenris forever, regardless of everyone around them staring.   
  
“I promise,” Hawke says, brushing one final kiss against Fenris’s mouth.   
  
Then he turns away, unslinging his bow from his back, and flashes the Qunari a cocky grin. “Alright, Arishok. Let’s dance.”

**Author's Note:**

> Previously posted on Tumblr.


End file.
